Picture this for me, if you will: a dark room, lit only by the stark ambience of a computer screen and constantly flickering, flittering digital lights. A soft pitter-patter of rain taps against the window, and suddenly, the nostalgic tones of the darkest '80s timeline erupt from the computer speakers. Billy, fresh out of the shower, sobs softly as the kick drum violently rattles his house and he stretches his meaty arms upwards, revealing his favorite The Midnight shirt. All is perfect in the world. Some other weirdly descriptive moments: Disclosure raking in fistfuls of cash, a perfect pop AOTY contender, and a surprise Fleet Foxes album.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/3mCqmYq

Highlighted Singles

Adrianne Lenker - "anything"

Wyldest - "Seastroke"

Highlighted Shout-outs

Disclosure - "ENERGY"

Hotel Garuda - "The Tension"

Ian Wayne - "Risking Illness"

AOTWs

Fleet Foxes - "Shore"

Samia - "The Baby"

OSees - "Protean Threat"

Forgive us as we transition to a new way of recording that doesn't rely on a oft-tantrum-having bot. There's a few hiccups here and there like not being able to clap because you're so nervous about being on time. We won't name any names, but there's certainly one of us that is much less coordinated than the other two. Some other coordinations: indoor emo, a monologue on gout and its treatment, and a promising solo debut.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/2QqIOnU

Highlighted Singles:

Into It. Over It. - "We Prefer Indoors"

Sasha Sloan - "Lie"

Highlighted Shout-outs:

Nas - "King's Disease"

Kllo - "Maybe We Could"

Duckwrth - "SuperGood"

AOTWs:

Bully - "SUGAREGG"

Cut Copy - "Freeze, Melt"

For all the terrible things to survive the '80s, we would've never expected poor Rick Springfield's relationship with Jessie's Girl to have lasted. Unfortunately for him, he made the wrong choice but maybe you could say he deserved it? Some other terrible things to have survived: the music industry's take on copyright infringement, song sequels, and a choice Billy rant.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/34w8ub2

Highlighted Singles:

Napalm Death - "Amoral"

Coheed and Cambria - "Jessie's Girl 2 (feat. Rick Springfield)

Anderson .Paak - "CUT 'EM IN (feat. Rick Ross)"

Highlighted Shout-outs:

The Killers - "Imploding the Mirage"

The Front Bottoms - "In Sickness & In Flames"

Maya Hawke - "Blush"

AOTWs:

Year of the Knife - "Internal Incarceration"

Japanese House - "Chewing Cotton Wool EP"

Portlandia: a weird comedy modern classic. Imagining what laughscapes the two stars of Portlandia could think up in 2020 is an impossible exercise, but one that could use a new theme song. We think might've found one, so hit us up if you're bringing the show back I guess. Some other things we've found: a Snoop Dogg co-sign, another Metalcore comeback, and some group favorites that are getting a bit long in the tooth.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/33LRD3K

Highlighted Singles:

Chika - "U Should"

NOVACUB - "Change Your Mind"

Highlighted Shout-outs:

Washed Out - "Purple Noon"

AOTWs:

Madeline Kenney - "Sucker's Lunch"

Misery Signals - "Ultraviolet"

NO MATTER WHAT HE SAYS, DO NOT DRINK FROM BILLY'S CUP. He definitely prefers to revel in your continued, slow demise as you slowly ruminate over and over in your head whether or not his golden chalice has, in fact, been poisoned. Some other poison cups: hardcore that makes you want to put your head through a brick wall, another fire Freddie Gibbs track, and some hauntingly beautiful, guitar-forward indie pop.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/2Cl3Zoc

Highlighted Singles:

Machinedrum - "Kane Train (feat. Freddie Gibbs)"

Barely Civil - "Box for My Organs"

Highlighted Shout-outs:

Land of Talk - "Indistinct Conversations"

AOTWs:

Gulch - "Impenetrable Cerebral Fortess"

BRONSON - "BRONSON"

Ever the hard worker, Paul can get ... let's say a little uppity ... when it comes to talking about retirement. Especially when it comes at the cost of one of his least favorite rappers of all time. All of this is just to say: live your life, make good choices, and retire early; no pressure, bruh. Some other good choices: No I.D. running the boards and the show, Spotify hijinks and bamboozles, and some bureaucratic apocalypse shop talk.

NOTE: We ran into some recording bot issues during the episode, so there is some echo and cutting-in & -out present in a couple places.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/304aG6Z

Highlighted Singles:

Jaga Jazzist - "Tomita (Edit)"

LAVE - "Dissonance"

Thee Oh Sees - "Dreary Nonsense"

Michael Kiwanuka - "Final Days (Bonobo Remix)"

Highlighted Shout-outs:

Kamaal Williams - "Wu Hen"

Shiver. - "See the Light"

AOTWs:

Protomartyr - "Ultimate Success Today"

Logic - "No Pressure"

Of all life's most important questions, one we can't quite find a good lead on is whether The 1975 makes music explicitly for teens. Sure, you may have adult friends and family that are into them, but does that mean they're teens living in an adult's body? Do teens understand that the music maybe isn't for them? Does The 1975 care? Some other import life questions: hardcore-based Dad jokes, too many good EPs to handle, and an unsurprisingly surprising AOTW pick.

NOTE: We ran into some recording bot issues, so there is some echo present in a couple places throughout the episode.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/3jN2O1D

Highlighted Singles:

Chong the Nomad - "Take Two"

Touche Amore - "Limelight (feat. Andy Hull)"

Open Mike Eagle - "Neighborhood Protection Spell (Lana Del Biden Nem)

Highlighted Shout-outs:

Skullcrusher - "Skullcrusher EP"

Dos Monos - "Dos Siki EP"

Cub Sport - "LIKE NIRVANA"

AOTWs:

Lianne La Havas - "Lianne La Havas"

Taylor Swift - "folklore"

Blu / Exile - "Miles"

In a Very Special Episode (TM), Billy cannot stop winning. The more his power grows, the more albums he'll be able to force into our yearly AOTY competition, which can only lead to disaster. The boy is on top of the world, but we can't quite let his ego get out of control now, can we? Some other ego busters: forest techno, Billy embracing the strange, and some Stevie Nicks-inspired country.

 

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/393G7S1

 

Highlighted Singles:

Lomelda - "Wonder"

Joe Vann - "Shuffle Around"

Highlighted Shout-outs:

Margo Price - "That's How Rumors Get Started"

Fakear - "Everything Will Grow Again"

Apollo Brown / Che Noir - "As God Intended"

AOTWs:

The Beths - "Jump Rope Gazers"

Phoxjaw - "Royal Swan"

No fooling around today. Here's some stats:

90% of independent venue owners, promoters, and bookers say they will have to close permanently within the next few months

Concert industry stands to lose ~$9 billion

62% of American artists (across all disciplines) are unemployed

90% of National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) members do not have enough savings to last more than six months without govt assistance; 55% can last without concerts and federal help for up to three months

nivassoc.org

 

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/301xK58

 

Highlighted Singles:

Sufjan Stevens - "America"

Tender - "CDWYR"

Highlighted Shout-outs:

Haim - "Women in Music, Pt. III"

AOTWs:

nuvolascura - "As We Suffer From Memory & Imagination"

The Midnight - "Monsters"

*Taps the conductor stand with wand* "Okay, everyone! Please, all together this time: *ahem* She's the WooOooOrrrRsttt!" On this day, July 15, 2020, we commemorate Jean Ralphio in all his glory by inducting Chromeo, the band, into the Jean Ralphio Hall of Fame! Some other hall of famers: LiveNation sucking unsurprisingly, another missed Roosevelt opportunity, and pastoral cinematic folk music?

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/3epzMC9

Highlighted Singles:

Doves - "Carousels"

Roosevelt - "Sign"

Anderson .Paak - "Lockdown"

Highlighted Shout-outs:

MIKE - "Weight of the World"

Wallflower - "Teach Yourself to Swim"

Protest the Hero - "Palimpsest"

AOTWs:

Bibio - "Sleep on the Wing"

The Ghost Inside - "The Ghost Inside"